Doom: The Dark Ages – Is This the Ultimate Week for Doom Slayers?

This week is shaping up to be a monumental one for fans of the Doom franchise, with insights into mastering the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages, the release of the game itself, and a new Game Ready Driver from NVIDIA optimized for the game. Let's dive into what makes this period so exciting for both veterans and newcomers alike.

Mastering Doom: The Dark Ages

Kotaku offers a deep dive into getting a strong start in Doom: The Dark Ages, highlighting key upgrades and strategies for players eager to become the most effective Doom Slayer possible. Billy Givens provides valuable tips on prioritizing weapon upgrades and navigating the game's opening hours. According to Givens, fully clearing each mission and strategically purchasing upgrades is crucial to becoming the ultimate Doom Slayer. The game also introduces semi open-world areas, like "Ancestral Forge", offering players a chance to explore at their own pace. Don't forget to hunt for weapon skins scattered throughout levels, earned through mission challenges and milestones.

The Dark Ages Are Upon Us

Doom: The Dark Ages has officially launched and is now available on Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and GeForce NOW. Players step into the armored boots of the Doom Slayer in a dark and sinister medieval war with the base game plus Digital Artbook and Soundtrack, Divinity Skin Pack and access to upcoming campaign DLC.

To celebrate the release, Bethesda is offering a free in-game bundle featuring the Butcher Doom Slayer skin for users who opt into Bethesda emails. Additionally, don't miss the original game soundtrack on Spotify and YouTube, featuring over 30 tracks.

NVIDIA's Game Ready Driver

NVIDIA has released a new GeForce Game Ready Driver optimized for Doom: The Dark Ages. This driver brings native idTech8 ray tracing enhanced by DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, NVIDIA Reflex, and Ray Tracing to GeForce PCs and laptops. Players with GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs can experience the game at 4K with high detail levels and frame rates, thanks to DLSS 4. Shortly after launch, an update will introduce PC-exclusive Path Tracing too!

As part of a special promotion until May 21st, buying a qualifying GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, or 5070 desktop or laptop GPU will get you the Premium Edition of Doom: The Dark Ages.

Beyond Doom: Other Highlights

While Doom dominates the spotlight, other games are also receiving attention. New World: Aeternum is receiving a DLSS 4 update, and NVIDIA app DLSS overrides are now available for titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and RuneScape: Dragonwilds.

Final Thoughts

From mastering the medieval carnage of Doom: The Dark Ages to enjoying the benefits of NVIDIA's latest driver technology, this week offers a buffet of content for gamers. Whether you're a seasoned Doom Slayer or a newcomer to the series, now is the perfect time to dive in.

What are your thoughts on Doom: The Dark Ages? Which upgrade paths are you prioritizing, and how do you feel about the new medieval setting? Share your comments below!

• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• GeForce RTX 50
• NVIDIA

Related issues news

When does Doom the Dark Ages launch?

The game was announced in June 2024. Doom: The Dark Ages was released on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on May 15, 2025, with it also being included as a day one launch for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Critics have given the game 'generally favorable' reviews, according to Metacritic.

When does Doom Early Access start?

Doom: The Dark Ages early access release time Early access begins at midnight UTC on Tuesday, May 13. Here's when that is in your time zone: 5 p.m. PDT on Monday, May 12 for the West Coast of North America. 8 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 12 for the East Coast of North America.

Is Doom Dark Ages on PC Game Pass?

DOOM: The Dark Ages (New release on Steam, Battle.net and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass, May 154)

Will Doom be on Game Pass?

DOOM: The Dark Ages is optimized for Xbox Series X|S consoles supporting HDR and Ray Tracing. Play it with Game Pass or buy now.

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